We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kurt Steger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kurt, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
I have been blessed with many generous people that have helped me along the way. Often they didn’t realize how helpful they were to my process, so it felt as if the universe was working for my benefit. There is something special in the building trades in that the journeyman passes his knowledge down to the apprentice as an unsaid act of love. This love of labor has encouraged and inspired my mission to help others along their path.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I have been a “maker” for more than forty years. I have built furniture, houses, cabinets, a Buddhist monastery, giant propellers for wind turbines, public art, and way too many things to list. At this point in my career, I channel all that experience into two primary directions: I build sculpture and I teach. My teaching consists of working with both kids and adults in the use of hand tools to create objects out of wood. I have been pursuing the idea that we as humans are at our best when we are in balance with our intellect and our instinct; this is how we function with our brilliance along with compassion. I’ve come to an understanding that the hand may be the best bridge between the head and the heart, and through handwork we can develop ourselves fully. Children in the woodworking program build confidence, perseverance, focus, love of labor, and an understanding that they are independent creators. These same traits are achieved by the adult students, and working with their hands is adding to their mental health. Currently I’m setting up a woodworking school for youth in Peekskill, New York, based on an established program called Slöyd Experience in Louisville, Colorado. We have concluded our pilot program with wonderful success, and we are establishing an ongoing project with the local youth bureau. This program has exciting potential to build community involvement from woodworking and carpentry skills to home ownership, environmental leadership, food and nutritional support, and business opportunities for the youth as well as a robust model of youth empowerment.
My other passion which is much more internal in nature is my sculpture practice. This is where I can take a deep dive into exploring the makings of my own being. Through this multi-decade exploration I have discovered what’s truly important to me, and that’s environmental justice, community, mental and societal well-being, and doing this all with integrity and joy. The sculpture garden I’m creating on my property along with a future off site proposal is giving me the opportunity to manifest these traits I’ve discovered about myself. Currently I have nearly forty significant sculptures on site, walking paths, a beautiful studio, a house full of handmade furniture and design elements all available for viewing. Every second Sunday of the month throughout the year I open the studio and gardens for people to enjoy, create community, be inspired, and experience various hand working demonstrations.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Learning a trade that I fully enjoy and through which I could make a living. Learning to have healthy social interactions, and the ongoing discovery of how to keep my own psyche healthy are some of the most important skills of my life’s journey. I had typical youth struggles and having an occupation that challenged me and kept me creatively engaged was an absolute life saver for me. Having mentors and interacting with elders other than friends and family led me toward a sense of confidence to be in the world in my authentic self. Lastly and most importantly, delving into my own psychology to understand the basis of my addictions, my neurosis, and my beliefs has helped me to pursue my goals without sabotaging my own abilities. This will be a lifelong process, but as I mature the work becomes much more subtle, refined, and interesting.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I have been a solo operator as a woodworker and sculptor and have taken pride in the ability to construct, transport, and install difficult projects completely by myself. After forty years I am recognizing the power of collaboration. I have much knowledge to pass on, and I realize that to go far beyond my solo capabilities it will take community engagement. I have two equal partners in my woodworking school project, one handling financial and administrative duties, and the other an educational specialist and community organizer. I hope to add woodworking/sculptor apprentices to our team, instructors to train in the fundamentals of teaching children woodworking and self-empowerment. We will need shop technicians to support a maker’s space, as well as public relations and social media support. I am looking for those willing to take on the dedicated effort to support kids in communities, to build skills with their hands, minds, and hearts. This will be a project of service that will be greater than any one single person or single vision. This is an opportunity to make positive impacts in the life of others as well as oneself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stegerdesign.com
www.stegersculpture.com - Instagram: Instagram.com/stegerkurt/
- Facebook: Facebook.com/kurt.steger.3
- Youtube: @kurtsteger2053
